Written Answers

Tuesday 9 May 2000

Scottish Executive

Adoption

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to bring forward legislation or amend existing legislation to allow continuing contact with natural parents and relatives after adoption.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to provide guidance to local authorities about the maintaining of contact with natural parents and relatives after adoption.

Mr Sam Galbraith: No. Current adoption legislation does not preclude contact with natural parents and relatives after adoption. Guidance on the legislation issued in 1996 includes the nature and management of such continuing contact.

Adoption

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any studies which have been carried out which examine the continuing of links with natural parents after adoption.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Adoption Now – Messages from Research which the Department of Health published in September 1999, brings together in a single volume the most recent studies on adoption. Chapter 5 of the report deals with issues surrounding contact with birth families and relatives.

Agriculture

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit of the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS) is; how much funding it will give SAOS in the current year and in each of the next two years, and what measures are being undertaken to evaluate the work of SAOS.

Ross Finnie: The remit of SAOS, which is a private organisation registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts 1965-78, is to strengthen the profitability, competitiveness and sustainability of Scotland’s farming, food and related rural industries, through the development of co-operation and joint activity.

  SAOS will receive funding from the Scottish Executive of £303,000 in the current financial year. This will increase to £309,000 for years 2001-02 and 2002-03.

  There are several measures in place to evaluate the work of SAOS. The main one is a contract between the two parties covering the funding provided by the Scottish Executive to SAOS. This requires that each year SAOS will submit a development plan covering the three succeeding years and containing specified outcomes, targets and performance indicators. During the year officials in the Executive meet SAOS to discuss progress on their targets and then, at the end of the year, SAOS must submit a report to the Executive on the achievements of their targets. I also have regular meetings with the President and Chief Executive of SAOS to discuss progress on the current development plan and on future business planning.

  The commercial work carried out by SAOS is not included in this evaluation as it is not covered by the funding provided by the Executive.

Agriculture

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of the number and location of marketing co-operatives which have been established as a consequence of Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society activity.

Ross Finnie: There are currently 101 marketing co-operatives registered as members of Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS). It is probably true to say that the existing marketing co-operatives are there as a consequence of SAOS activity. The name and location of these members have been provided to the Executive by SAOS and are set out below. SAOS was established in 1905. There have been many co-operatives which have come and gone. In the mid-1960s, for example, over 200 marketing co-operatives existed. It has been a key objective of SAOS in the period since then to rationalise the number of marketing co-operatives.

  



Name 


Location 




Aberdeen and Moray Growers Ltd 


Inverurie 




Aberdeen and Moray Marketing 


Inverurie 




Aberdeen Angus Producers (Scotland) Ltd 


Northampton 




Aberdeen Grain Marketing Ltd 


Aberdeen 




Aberdeen Grain Services Ltd 


Aberdeen 




Aberdeen Grain Storage Ltd 


Aberdeen 




Aberdeen Seed Potato Organisation Ltd 


Aberdeen 




Aberdeen Seed Potato Organisation (Marketing) Ltd 


Aberdeen 




Aberdeen Seed Potato Organisation (Services) Ltd 


Aberdeen 




ANM Group Ltd 


Inverurie 




Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers Ltd 


Crieff 




Ayrshire Country Lamb Ltd  


Girvan 




Borders and Lothians Growers Ltd 


Eyemouth 




Border Grain Ltd 


Greenlaw 




Borders Machinery Ring Ltd 


Melrose 




Borders Premium Potatoes Ltd 


Jedburgh 




Borders Premium Potatoes Marketing Ltd 


Jedburgh 




Buccleuch Farmers Ltd 


Galashiels 




Caithness Livestock Breeders Ltd 


Thurso 




Caithness Machinery Ring Ltd 


Wick 




Caledonian Marts (Stirling) Ltd 


Stirling 




Central Farmers Ltd 


Kinross 




Claymore Dairies Ltd 


Nairn 




Dalkeith Farmers Ltd 


Gorebridge 




Deeside Woodland Products Ltd 


Aboyne 




Deveron Potatoes Ltd 


Banff 




Deveron Potato Growers Ltd 


Banff 




East Lothian Potatoes Ltd 


North Berwick 




East of Scotland Farmers Ltd 


Coupar Angus 




East of Scotland Growers Ltd 


Cupar 




Eildon Grain Growers Ltd 


St Boswells 




Farmers Creamery Co-operative Ltd 


Newton Stewart 




Farm Stock (Scotland) Ltd 


Galashiels 




Fifegro Ltd 


Cupar 




Financial Control Services Ltd 


Aberdeen 




Galloway Farm Secretarial Services Ltd 


Castle Douglas 




Galloway Lamb 


Castle Douglas 




Girvan Early Growers Ltd 


Girvan 




Girvan Early Growers (Vegetables) Ltd 


Girvan 




Glenteviot Farmers Ltd 


Kelso 




Gordon and Buchan Machinery Ring Ltd 


Inverurie 




Grampian Growers Ltd 


Montrose 




Grampian Pig Producers Ltd 


Huntly 




Harlaw Fruit Ltd 


Insch 




Harris Livestock Ltd 


Harris 




Highland Farmers Ltd 


Inverness 




Highland Fruit Stocks Ltd 


Aberfeldy 




Highland Glen Producers Ltd 


Aberfeldy 




Highland Grain Limited 


Inverness 




Highland Machinery Ring Ltd 


Inverness 




Highlands and Islands Sheep Health Association Ltd 


Inverness 




Hi Health Ltd 


Alness 




Islay Farmers Ltd 


Isle of Islay 




Kelso Grain Ltd 


Kelso 




Kintyre Quality Livestock Ltd 


Campbeltown 




Leisure Gro Garden Centre Ltd 


Houston 




Lewis Crofters Ltd 


Stornoway 




Lothian Lamb Ltd 


Shotts 




Lothian Machinery Ring Ltd 


Edinburgh 




Montrose Potatoes (Growers) Ltd 


Perth 




Moray Coast Growers Ltd 


Forres 




Moray Coast Produce Ltd 


Forres 




North Eastern Farmers Ltd 


Turriff 




Northern Grain Ltd 


Carlisle 




North Uist and Benbecula Livestock (Marketing) Ltd 


North Uist 




Oban Livestock Centre Ltd 


Oban 




Organic Farmers and Growers Scotland Ltd 


Throsk 




Orkney Auction Mart Ltd 


Kirkwall 




Orkney Machinery Ring Ltd 


Stromness 




Perth Farmers Market Ltd 


Perth 




Perthshire Machinery Ring Ltd 


Perth 




Ringlink (Scotland) Ltd 


Laurencekirk 




Saltire Seeds Ltd 


Aberdeen 




SE Growers Ltd 


Haddington 




Scotlean Pigs Ltd 


Carlisle 




Scott Country Lamb Ltd 


Galashiels 




Scott Country Potato Growers Ltd 


Kelso 




Scott Country Potatoes Ltd 


Kelso 




Scottish Agronomy Ltd 


Kinross 




Scottish Farm Venison Ltd 


Keith 




Scottish Milk Ltd 


Paisley 




Scottish Nuclear Stock Association Ltd 


Blairgowrie 




Scottish Organic Producers Association Ltd 


Doune 




Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group Ltd 


Bellshill 




Scottish Soft Fruit Growers Ltd 


Blairgowrie 




Scot Trout Ltd 


Bellshill 




Shetland Mart Co-op Ltd 


Lerwick 




Skye Machinery Ring Ltd 


Isle of Skye 




South Uist Livestock Marketing Ltd 


South Uist 




South West Machinery Ring Ltd 


Castle Douglas 




Tarff Valley Ltd 


Castle Douglas 




Tay Forth Machinery Ring Ltd 


Perth 




Tay Forth Marketing Group Ltd 


Dundee 




Taygrow Produce Ltd 


Perth 




Timber Marketing Group Limited 


Richmond 




Uist Calf Producers Ltd 


North Uist 




United Farmers Ltd 


Edinburgh 




United Oilseeds Marketing Ltd 


Devizes 




United Pig Marketing Group Ltd 


Carlisle 




WCF Ltd 


Cumbria 




Wigtownshire Quality Lamb Ltd 


Newton Stewart

Agriculture

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of the number, nature and expenditure of projects undertaken or assisted by the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society.

Ross Finnie: This information is related to the activity of a private organisation and so is not held centrally. It could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The 2000 Annual Report of SAOS does however provide some information on recent activities. Copies of the Annual Report can be obtained from SAOS at the Rural Centre, Ingliston (Tel: 0131 472 4100).

Building Control

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities regarding policy on the use of thick tiled roofs and how this guidance is made available.

Sarah Boyack: The Technical Standards for compliance with the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations, published by The Stationery Office, include roofing specifications that are deemed to satisfy the standards.

Cancer

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive continues to support early detection via the well established breast and cervical cancer screening programmes. The Cancer Challenge , a pilot study to assess the feasibility of a population-based screening programme for colorectal cancer is also underway in Fife, Tayside and Grampian Health Boards.

  General advice on early signs and symptoms is available from a variety of sources including for example well women and well men clinics, GPs’ surgeries and hospitals. There is a wide range of literature available published by the NHS in Scotland and the Department of Health (England) as well as by special interest groups and other voluntary organisations.

  Some cancers may take a long time to develop and early symptoms can sometimes be confusing. The earlier medical advice is sought the better the chance of improved outcomes. Therefore, Scots everywhere are encouraged to take responsibility for their own health and to ensure that they do seek medical advice whenever signs or symptoms appear which may be suggestive of cancer.

Cancer

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that the Scottish cancer survival rate does not remain lower than that of some parts of the EU and the United States of America.

Susan Deacon: Scotland’s cancer survival record is sometimes inappropriately compared with that of European countries and the USA. Scotland’s cancer registry collects data on all cancer registrations across the total population – unlike those of many of its European and USA counterparts – which can lead to unfavourable comparisons of outcomes.

  The Scottish Cancer Registry/Cancer Intelligence Unit continuously scrutinise our data on survival and are involved in European and USA programmes of comparative survival analysis, working together in striving to understand the reasons for the apparent differences in survival.

  I expect the latest cancer survival data to be published in the near future and I am confident that this will show improvements in Scotland’s record over the last 20 to 25 years.

  Cancer continues as one of the three clinical priorities for the NHS in Scotland. The Scottish Executive continues to invest in and support a wide range of activities designed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Dental Care

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the waiting times were for (a) a first appointment and (b) treatment within each specialty at Glasgow and Dundee Dental Hospitals in each of the last three years.

Susan Deacon: The median waiting time for a new outpatient consultation by specialty in the two dental hospitals is shown in the table below. Information on first appointment waiting times and individual specialty waiting times is not collected separately.

  


Appointments During Year Ended 
  

Location 
  

Speciality 
  

Median wait (days) 
  



31 December 1997 
  

Dundee Dental Hospital 
  

Oral surgery & oral medicine 
  

41 
  









Orthodontics & paediatric dentistry 
  

26 
  









Restorative dentistry 
  

49 
  






Glasgow Dental Hospital & School 
  

Oral surgery & oral medicine 
  

51 
  









Orthodontics & paediatric dentistry 
  

63 
  









Restorative dentistry 
  

127 
  



31 December 1998 
  

Dundee Dental Hospital 
  

Oral surgery & oral medicine 
  

63 
  









Orthodontics & paediatric dentistry 
  

28 
  









Restorative dentistry 
  

60 
  






Glasgow Dental Hospital & School 
  

Oral surgery & oral medicine 
  

52 
  









Orthodontics & paediatric dentistry 
  

83 
  









Restorative dentistry 
  

125 
  



31 December 1999 
  

Dundee Dental Hospital 
  

Oral surgery & oral medicine 
  

63 
  









Orthodontics & paediatric dentistry 
  

25 
  









Restorative dentistry 
  

70 
  






Glasgow Dental Hospital & School 
  

Oral surgery & oral medicine 
  

56 
  









Orthodontics & paediatric dentistry 
  

64 
  









Restorative dentistry 
  

119

Drug Misuse

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what was the total expenditure in 1999-2000 by local authorities, health boards and other relevant public bodies on arrest referral schemes for drug offenders in Scotland.

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of "ring fenced" funding was available for arrest referral schemes for drug offenders in Scotland in 1999-2000.

Angus MacKay: This information is not held centrally. Any arrest referral schemes in Scotland would operate through locally agreed arrangements and expenditure on their operation is likely to be small. Policy on early intervention in the criminal justice system for drug misusers has focussed on the piloting of diversion by Procurators Fiscal of accused charged with minor offences from prosecution to social work and other service agencies. Expenditure in 1999-2000 on the 18 pilot diversion schemes including mediation and reparation amounted to £664,566. It is not possible to separately identify how much of this figure is attributable to work with drug accused as opposed to those individuals accused of other types of offences but approximately half the schemes were intended to deal with drug misusers.

Drug Misuse

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the planned expenditure is on arrest referral schemes for drug offenders for 2000-01 and 2001-02.

Angus MacKay: Whilst no specific funding is earmarked for arrest referral schemes, £5.9 million is set aside over these two years for priority programmes tackling the problem of drug offenders. These funds will enhance the provision of intensive probation and diversion from prosecution schemes and will invest £1.2 million and £1.5 million in 2000-01 and 2001-02 respectively in the piloting of Drug Treatment and Testing Orders.

Employment

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many apprentices completed training in construction-related trades in Glasgow in each of the last four years for which figures are available in (a) the public and (b) the private sector, broken down by trade.

Henry McLeish: In Scotland, Modern Apprenticeships were phased in from 1996. Typically the Modern Apprenticeship takes three to four years to complete, so a young person who started training in 1996 is likely to complete in 2000. The young people who completed training in construction-related trades during the past four years include Modern Apprentices and young people undertaking an SVQ Level 3 through the wider youth training programme, Skillseekers.

  The following table shows the number of young people who completed Government-funded training in Glasgow in construction related trades. It does not include young people whose training is supported by levies paid by employers to National Training Organisations.

  

 

1996-97 
  

1997-98 
  

1998-99 
  

1999-2000 
  


 

Private 
  

Public 
  

Private 
  

Public 
  

Private 
  

Public 
  

Private 
  

Public 
  



Civil engineer 
  
 
 

1 
  
 

1 
  
 

1 
  
 



Architect 
  
 
 

1 
  
 

1 
  
 

1 
  
 



Joiner 
  

8 
  

1 
  

10 
  

2 
  

35 
  

25 
  

55 
  

30 
  



Bricklayer 
  

3 
  
 

3 
  
 

6 
  

2 
  

10 
  

2 
  



Glazier 
  

2 
  
 
 
 

3 
  
 

2 
  
 



Plasterer 
  

1 
  
 

2 
  
 

1 
  
 

3 
  

2 
  



Painter 
  

2 
  

1 
  

6 
  

1 
  

14 
  

3 
  

25 
  

3 
  



Stonemason 
  

3 
  
 
 
 

3 
  
 
 
 



Slater 
  
 
 
 
 

5 
  

2 
  

8 
  

1 
  



Tiler 
  
 
 
 
 

3 
  

2 
  
 
 



Wood machinist 
  
 
 
 
 

8 
  
 

2 
  
 



Plant mechanic 
  
 
 

1 
  
 
 
 
 
 



Plumber 
  

15 
  

17 
  

16 
  

9 
  

19 
  

4 
  

11 
  

7 
  



Heating/vent engineer 
  
 
 

1 
  
 

1 
  
 

3 
  
 



Refrigeration engineer 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 

1 
  
 



Electrical installation 
  

20 
  
 

21 
  

2 
  

34 
  

16 
  

31 
  

9 
  



Total 
  

54 
  

19 
  

62 
  

14 
  

131 
  

52 
  

157 
  

54 
  



  There are currently 985 Modern Apprenticeships in construction related trades supported by Scottish Enterprise Glasgow.

Enterprise

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reverse the decline in new orders, investment and employment currently being experienced by manufacturers detailed in the Deloitte & Touche Scottish Chambers Business Survey for the first quarter of 2000.

Henry McLeish: We shall continue to provide support for manufacturing industry through a wide variety of schemes and initiatives, as mentioned in the answer I gave Mr Gibson in question S1W-5420 on 30 March.

Enterprise

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking in partnership with Her Majesty's Government and Scottish manufacturing to deal with the skills shortages in manufacturing and alleviate the recruitment difficulties currently being experienced by 57.4% of Scottish manufacturers.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive has recognised that manufacturing plays a vital role in the Scottish economy with the recent publication of the report Created in Scotland - The Way Forward for Scottish Manufacturing in the 21st Century . The report describes how the Executive, in partnership with the UK Government, is committed to providing public support for Scottish companies to enhance skills and training, and to encourage the use of new technology to help manufacturers improve their competitiveness. It is also committed to improving the image of manufacturing to encourage more young people to consider a career in this sector.

  Education, training and skills development represent the top priority of The Scottish Executive and considerable efforts are being made, in partnership with National Training Organisations and other employer representatives, to ensure that education and training provision is relevant to the current and projected needs of employers.

Environment

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4693 by Sarah Boyack on 3 April 2000, whether it maintains data with regard to the environmental impact of low-level flying including complaints from the public, either individually or on a collective basis.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive maintains no data on the environmental impact of low-level flying, as aviation matters, both military and civil, are reserved to the UK Parliament.

Equal Opportunities

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is of its Equalities Unit for 2000-01 and what its proposed budget is for 2001-02.

Jackie Baillie: The programme budget for the Equality Unit for 2000-01 is £500,000. The Executive’s spending plans for 2001-02 are outlined in the recently published document Investing in You: Annual Expenditure Plans of the Scottish Executive . In that publication an aggregate figure of £6.4 million for Voluntary Issues and Equality is indicated. Ministers have not yet taken decisions on any detailed breakdown.

Europe

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5585 by Mr Jack McConnell on 7 April 2000, whether it will list the EU Council of Ministers’ meetings which Scottish Executive Ministers have attended.

Mr Jack McConnell: Scottish Executive Ministers have attended the following EU Councils of Ministers:

  


Year 
  

Date 
  

Council 
  

Location 
  

Minister 
  

Portfolio 
  



1999 
  

24-25 September 
  

Informal Meeting of Ministers of Education 
  

Tampere, Finland 
  

Sam Galbraith 
  

Minister for Children and Education 
  


 

26 October 
  

Fisheries Council 
  

Luxembourg 
  

John Home Robertson 
  

Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs 
  


 

22 November 
  

Fisheries Council 
  

Brussels 
  

John Home Robertson 
  

Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs 
  


 

13-14 December 
  

Environment Council 
  

Brussels 
  

Sarah Boyack 
  

Minister for Transport and the Environment 
  


 

14-15 December 
  

Agriculture Council 
  

Brussels 
  

Ross Finnie 
  

Minister for Rural Affairs 
  


 

16-17 December 
  

Fisheries Council 
  

Brussels 
  

John Home Robertson 
  

Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs 
  



2000 
  

17 March 
  

Informal Education Council 
  

Lisbon 
  

Nicol Stephen 
  

Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning 
  


 

20-21 March 
  

Agriculture Council 
  

Brussels 
  

Ross Finnie 
  

Minister for Rural Affairs

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop the freshwater fisheries sector and to assess its contribution to the economy.

Mr John Home Robertson: On 25 April I issued for public comment a review entitled Protecting and Promoting Scotland’s Freshwater Fish and Fisheries . The review addresses a range of issues covering freshwater fish and fisheries including exploitation and I look forward to reflecting on the comments received on the matter in due course.

Football

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Scottish Football Association requesting that the participating clubs in this year’s Cup Final, and those in future years, be given equal allocations of tickets for the event.

Rhona Brankin: No. The allocation of tickets for the Scottish Cup Final is a matter for the Scottish Football Association.

Genetically Modified Organisms

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the policy statements and advice it has made in respect of genetically modified organisms over the last six months.

Susan Deacon: My response to question S1W-4852 set out Scottish Executive policy on genetically modified organisms.

  Over the last six months, Ministers have fully set out our position on genetically modified organisms in response to 55 items of ministerial correspondence and 38 parliamentary questions. The Scottish Executive's policy on this issue was also explained in detail during the parliamentary debate on GM Science held on Thursday 23 March 2000.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4078 by Susan Deacon on 18 February 2000, when it expects the Coronary Heart Disease Task Force to complete its risk-benefit analysis on the placement of defibrillators in public buildings.

Susan Deacon: I refer to my answer to question S1W-6357.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details by health board area of current screening programmes for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1003 by Susan Deacon on 10 September 1999, when it will make the announcement referred to on advice from the UK National Screening Committee on hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and, if it has already made this announcement, whether it will give details.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to develop an educational programme about hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy to alert those who may be at risk of the need to be screened.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any assessment in Scotland or UK-wide of existing screening methods for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Susan Deacon: No population screening programmes for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy are currently provided by the NHS anywhere in Scotland. If people are concerned that they might be at risk because of the condition, they can ask their GP to refer them to a cardiologist who would be able to carry out the necessary tests.

  I announced on 10 April my decision to accept the expert advice from the National Screening Committee that the NHS in Scotland should not offer a population-wide screening programme for this condition. I wrote to the member that day with a copy of the News Release and the text of the letter which the department had sent to Scottish Heart at Risk Testing, a voluntary body concerned with promoting awareness of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

  The National Screening Committee took the view that on the basis of our present knowledge, screening should not be undertaken because a significant number of those diagnosed by the current tests will go on to live a normal life span and will have been excluded unnecessarily from sporting and other activities. As there would also be employment and insurance consequences following such a diagnosis, the disadvantages outweigh the possible benefits of screening.

  There is no precise screening test at present, as there are variable definitions of the degree of enlargement of the heart muscle which constitutes a positive diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Testing by echocardiography (ECG) may miss some young people at risk of sudden death and cause potentially unnecessary distress to those whose life spans will not be affected.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to raise the number of beds per 1,000 people in Scotland from 4.7 to the European Union average of 7.9.

Susan Deacon: The latest year for which information is provided in the OECD health database on hospital beds in other countries is 1997, and the figures show that Scotland has more hospital beds per 1,000 population than the average for those EU countries for which figures are available. The number of acute and psychiatric beds in Scotland in 1997 was 5.8 per 1,000 population compared with an average of 5.7 beds per 1,000 population in the following countries: Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

  The figures taken from the OECD health database should be treated with caution because of differences between countries in the definition of hospital beds and in the methods used to calculate bed numbers. The figures for Scotland are taken from Scottish Health Statistics 1999 and include all specialty groups other than geriatric long stay and learning disabilities. (These specialties have been excluded from the Scottish estimate to provide a figure that is consistent with those in the OECD database.)

  The number of hospital beds does not provide a useful measure of the level, quality or effectiveness of services provided in the NHS. Changes in the pattern of care have resulted in reductions in the number of hospital beds, but this has been accompanied by a substantial rise in the number of patients treated and by improvements in standards of care. In the acute sector, bed numbers have reduced because of greater use of day surgery and shorter lengths of stay. In psychiatric specialties bed numbers have fallen because of the shift towards caring for patients in the community. These trends are also seen in the figures for other EU countries where bed numbers in acute and psychiatric specialties have been falling.

Health

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-4078 and S1W-4735 by Susan Deacon on 18 February 2000 and 10 March 2000 respectively, whether it has now received the Coronary Heart Disease Task Force’s risk-benefit analysis on the placement of defibrillators in public buildings and whether it intends to request monitoring information on the results of the location of 400 defibrillators in such buildings in England and Wales, as recently announced by the Department of Health.

Susan Deacon: The Coronary Heart Disease Task Force has produced a draft report on the placement of defibrillators in public buildings, and is now in the process of discussing the draft with bodies with an interest in the subject.

  The task force will be particularly interested in information on the results of the programme of defibrillator installation in England, and has asked to be supplied with details.

Housing

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have carried out asbestos removal operations from (a) their housing stock and (b) those public buildings for which they have responsibility such as schools, libraries and leisure facilities, and whether it will detail the total amount of asbestos removed and this amount as a proportion of known asbestos in (i) housing stock and (ii) public buildings, broken down for each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The table attached to S1W-6096 shows those local authorities that have removed or encapsulated asbestos in their council-owned housing stock over the past three years. No information is available centrally on the total amount of asbestos removed or on asbestos removed or encapsulated from public buildings for which local authorities are responsible.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the number of dwellings built or rehabilitated by housing associations has fallen steadily since 1993-94.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The most up-to-date and complete data available relate to Scottish Homes’ approvals for new and rehabilitated housing developments being undertaken by housing associations.

  These are set out in the following table. This shows that last year Scottish Homes approved the construction of 4,683 new and improved homes by housing associations, the highest total since 1995-96.

  


 

Housing Association approvals 




1993-94 


6,569 




1994-95 


6,360 




1995-96 


6,725 




1996-97 


4,581 




1997-98 


3,752 




1998-99 


4,067 




1999-2000 


4,683 





 

Mr 
Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive 
why the total private finance generated by Scottish Homes fell 
from £218 million in 1995-96 to £158.345 million in 1998-99.

(S1W-6290)

Ms 
Wendy Alexander: The 1995-96 figure is £208 million, not £218 
million as stated. The amount of private finance which can be 
generated by Scottish Homes’ Development Programme in any year 
depends on the overall size of the programme and the nature of 
the projects funded in that year. The table below gives information 
on the overall size of the Development Programme and the amount 
of private finance generated in each year from 1995-96 to 1999-2000.


 

Scottish Homes’ Development programme (£ 
  million) 


Private finance generated
(£ million) 


Private finance as a percentage of Development 
  Programme 




1995-96 


324.9 


208.000 


64.0% 




1996-97 


304.0 


191.340 


62.9% 




1997-98 


210.3 


137.435 


65.4% 




1998-99 


199.7 


158.345 


79.3% 




1999-2000 (estimate) 


209.6 


170.000 


81.1% 



 

Justice

Mr 
Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish 
Executive how many deputy fiscals were employed in each year since 
1996 and how many new deputy fiscals were appointed in each year 
since 1996.

(S1W-4260)

Colin 
Boyd: The information requested is as follows:



Year 


Total Deputes Employed (average per month) 


New Deputes appointed 




1996 


121 


35 




1997 


137 


10 




1998 


138 


16 




1999 


150 


37 




2000 (Jan–Mar) 


192 


13 



These 
figures do not include legal staff of Principal Depute grade and 
above.



Mr 
Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish 
Executive how many deputy fiscals left the service after (a) six 
months, (b) 12 months and (c) 24 months service in each year since 
1996.

(S1W-4261)

Colin 
Boyd: The information requested is as follows:



Year 


PFDs left with 6–11 months service 


PFDs left with 12–23 months service 


PFDs left with 24 months+ service 




1996 


Nil 


1 


5 




1997 


2 


2 


3 




1998 


1 


1 


2 




1999 


Nil 


Nil 


8 




2000 (Jan –Mar) 


Nil 


1 


1 





  These figures do not include legal staff of Principal Depute grade and above.

Local Government Finance

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the amounts calculated in the Grant Aided Expenditure for each local authority in 1999-2000 in respect of provision of discretionary bursaries.

Mr Jack McConnell: Grant Aided Expenditure allocations for Further Education: travel and bursaries are listed in the 1999-2000 Grant Aided Expenditure Green Book , copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe). GAE allowances are not spending targets or limits but contribute towards the assessment of councils’ total relative expenditure needs. It is for councils to determine their spending priorities, including on discretionary responsibilities such as further education travel and bursary awards, from the total resources available to them.

NHS Funding

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total NHS in Scotland budget and the Hospital and Community Services and Family Health Service budgets were in each of the last five years and what the total spent on staff salaries and wages was in each of these categories in each of these years.

Susan Deacon: Details are as follows:

  


 


1994-95 
£ million 
  

1995-96
£ million 


1996-97
£ million 


1997-98
£ million 


1998-99
£ million 




Hospital & Community Health Services Budget 
  

3,050.9 
  

3,134.9 
  

3,210.7 
  

3,268.7 
  

3,438.3 
  



Family Health Services Budget 
  

848.2 
  

908.6 
  

974.6 
  

1,034.4 
  

1,100.1 
  



Total NHS in Scotland Budget 
  

3,948.0 
  

4,092.5 
  

4,237.4 
  

4,353.7 
  

4,589.0 
  



Total Salaries & Wages Costs 
  

2,275.2 
  

2,319.7 
  

2,398.4 
  

2,478.3 
  

2,577.6 
  



  Information regarding salaries and wages costs for each category is not available.

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the additional resources for the NHS announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be used to (a) alleviate NHS Trust financial deficits, (b) finance the 1,270 unfilled vacancies for nurses or (c) enable bed-blocking patients to access care in the community.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the additional money being received as a result of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s budget will be allocated to each health board in Scotland and for what purpose the money will be used.

Susan Deacon: An additional £173 million has been allocated to the health budget in the current financial year as a result of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s budget. I announced on 2 May that £60 million of this sum would be allocated to health boards on a formula basis and that this should be used to address specified priority areas. I have also announced on 22 March that £26 million would be earmarked for public health and health improvement measures. I am currently considering, together with ministerial colleagues, how best to utilise the remaining resources to ensure that the maximum improvement in services and health is achieved. Our decisions will be informed by a range of measures being put in place to consider the strategic development of the NHSiS, including a new Modernisation Board.

  Decisions on the allocation of the further additional sums of £268 million, £687 million and £1,140 million which have been allocated to the health budget for the next three years will also be informed by this work and by wider budget consultation which is currently underway.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS staff are currently suspended in each health authority in Scotland and how much in total the annual salaries of those suspended are.

Susan Deacon: NHS Trusts are responsible for the operation of staff disciplinary procedures. We are currently aware of one hospital doctor in Scotland who is suspended from duty.

  The Scottish Executive has recently worked with Trusts to put in place a range of measures to improve and streamline the disciplinary process for medical staff. Trusts have been encouraged to consider alternatives to suspension. Where suspension is considered necessary, in the interests of patient safety, the new measures will shorten the time that individuals spend on suspension and therefore reduce costs. We do not hold central records of other NHS staff groups on suspension.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates responding to parliamentary questions S1W-2735, lodged on 23 November 1999; S1W-2963, lodged on 3 December 1999; S1W-3454, lodged on 20 December 1999; S1W-3946, lodged on 25 January 2000, and S1W-3953, lodged on 25 January 2000.

Mr Tom McCabe: PQ’s S1W-2963 and S1W-3946 were answered on 25 January and 2 May respectively. The delay in responding to the others is being investigated and answers will be issued as soon as possible.

Planning

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many part-time Reporters are employed by the Inquiry Reporters Unit.

Sarah Boyack: As at 2 May 2000 there were 20 part-time Reporters on the Inquiry Reporters Unit complement.

Planning

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many part-time Reporters appointed by the Inquiry Reporters Unit are over the age of 60.

Sarah Boyack: As at 2 May 2000, 14 of the 20 part-time Reporters on the Inquiry Reporters Unit complement were over the age of 60.

Planning

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what qualifications are required of individuals appointed as part-time Reporters with the Inquiry Reporters Unit.

Sarah Boyack: The majority of part-time Reporters appointed by SEIRU have qualifications in planning, architecture, surveying, or law and administration. Some are qualified in more than one discipline. Besides possession of such formal qualifications, part-time Reporters are required also to demonstrate expertise appropriate to the casework that the Unit undertakes, including the determination of the merits of planning and other appeals. In addition, there is a small number of part-time Reporters, currently two, whose expertise lies in specialist administrative areas, but who do not hold any formal qualification. These part-time Reporters handle cases of an administrative nature and do not become involved in mainstream planning issues.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to promote electrification of the rail network directly or indirectly through the Strategic Rail Authority and whether it will detail any plans or proposed representations.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Ministers will be able to issue directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority for the franchise providing passenger rail services which begin and end in Scotland. They will reflect strategic priorities for the provision of passenger rail services throughout Scotland and build upon the good working relations that already exist between the Strategic Rail Authority, Train Operating Company and Railtrack. It would then be for the Train Operating Company, in conjunction with Railtrack, to ensure the availability of the necessary infrastructure and rolling stock to meet the terms of the franchise.

Renewable Energy

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing planning legislation or conditions relating to sites for proposed renewable energy schemes.

Sarah Boyack: Guidance is contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 6: Renewable Energy (NPPG 6). This guidance is currently being reviewed and will be issued for consultation shortly.

Scottish Executive Staff

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the civil servants which it employs in a research capacity provide services to Westminster MPs in relation to devolved policy areas and, if so, how many, broken down by policy area.

Donald Dewar: No Scottish Executive research staff provide services to Westminster MPs. For a breakdown of research staff by department, I refer the member to the answer to question S1W-2058.

Scottish Executive Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a table of the dispersal of civil service jobs, including work transferred to agencies, from the Scottish Executive by local authority area and specify the ratio of such jobs per 10,000 population in each local authority area.

Mr Jack McConnell: The table below details staffing figures for the Scottish Executive (including Executive Agencies and non-ministerial departments) by local authority area, and provides the ratio of staffing per 10,000 population in each area. The figures do not include staffing in other public service employers in Scotland.

  


Scottish Local Authorities 
  

Population by local authority area
(as at June 1998) 
  

Scottish Executive staff by local authority 
area 
  

Ratio of staffing per 10,000 population in 
each local authority area 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

213,070 
  

501 
  

24 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

226,260 
  

387 
  

17 
  



Angus 
  

110,070 
  

104 
  

9 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

 89,980 
  

58 
  

6 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

 48,560 
  

475 
  

98 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

147,300 
  

263 
  

18 
  



Dundee City 
  

146,690 
  

117 
  

8 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

121,300 
  

136 
  

11 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

109,570 
  

154 
  

14 
  



East Lothian 
  

 89,570 
  

37 
  

4 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

 87,980 
  

0 
  

0 
  



City of Edinburgh 
  

450,180 
  

6,882 
  

153 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

 27,940 
  

34 
  

12 
  



Falkirk 
  

144,110 
  

369 
  

26 
  



Fife 
  

348,900 
  

114 
  

3 
  



Glasgow City 
  

619,680 
  

1605 
  

26 
  



Highland 
  

208,300 
  

412 
  

20 
  



Inverclyde 
  

 85,400 
  

274 
  

32 
  



Midlothian 
  

 80,860 
  

0 
  

0 
  



Moray 
  

 85,870 
  

39 
  

5 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

139,660 
  

0 
  

0 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

326,720 
  

630 
  

19 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

 19,550 
  

57 
  

29 
  



Perth & Kinross 
  

133,040 
  

542 
  

41 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

177,830 
  

88 
  

5 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

106,300 
  

75 
  

7 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

 22,910 
  

27 
  

12 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

114,440 
  

103 
  

9 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

306,860 
  

155 
  

5 
  



Stirling 
  

 83,130 
  

341 
  

41 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

 94,880 
  

48 
  

5 
  



West Lothian 
  

153,090 
  

55 
  

4 
  



Scotland 
  

5,120,000 
  

14,082 
  

28

Scottish Flag

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to specify in legislation the proportions and colours of a national flag for Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has no such intention.

Teachers

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers applied for early retirement in each of the last ten years.

Mr Sam Galbraith: This information is not available in the form requested. Teachers must apply initially to their employer before their application is passed to the Scottish Public Pension Agency. The records held centrally do not distinguish between primary and secondary teachers, nor do they cover all applications made to local authorities. The information that is available centrally is summarised in the table below.

  


Number of Scottish teachers whose applications 
for early retirement* have been received by the Scottish Public 
Pensions Agency 
  



Year 
  

Number 
  



1990-91 
  

867 
  



1991-92 
  

885 
  



1992-93 
  

1,243 
  



1993-94 
  

1,130 
  



1994-95 
  

1,157 
  



1995-96 
  

1,544 
  



1996-97 
  

1,701 
  



1997-98 
  

2,618 
  



1998-99 
  

831 
  



1999-2000 
  

787 (provisional) 
  



  Includes ill health and premature retirement.

Water Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of the proposed water industry consultative committees for each of the three water authority areas in each of the next three financial years.

Sarah Boyack: I recently set the budget for the Water Industry Commissioner for the year 2000-01, which included provision for operating costs of £60,000 for the three Water Industry Consultative Committees. The Water Industry Commissioner anticipates similar spending levels on the Consultative Committees in subsequent years.